Rick and Morty S3 E1 review

Post navigation

Rick and Morty are back. After an agonizing one and a half year wait, the mad scientist and his grandkid have returned, unannounced, with The Rickshank Rickdemption, the first episode in the long awaited season three of the animated show.

Is it worth the wait? You’d better believe it. The Rickshank Rickdemption continues the story where season two left off, with Rick imprisoned by the Galactic Federation and the rest of the family coming to terms with life under the rule of the Galactic Federation, who now control Earth.

In the episode, Summer’s attempts to save Rick are discouraged by Morty, before both Morty and Summer are transported across to the alternate universe that Rick ruined, a call back to the season one episode Rick Potion #9, and Rick and Morty’s ‘death’ in that episode.

But oh, the call backs to old episodes don’t stop there. After being almost murdered in the alternate universe, Morty and Summer are saved by agents from the Council of Ricks, the interdimensional body regulating all the alternate universe versions of Rick. The Council of Ricks, and their opposition to the show’s version of Rick, have been shown since season 1’s Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind.

It’s these call backs that let Rick and Morty feel unique and allow The Rickshank Rickdemption to feel like a great set up for season 3. Nothing in the story of Rick and Morty is there for no reason, it’s all there to be called back to, to allow the story to progress, to allow the show’s cleverly crafted humour to be brought out.

But what about the main attraction of this episode – Rick. From his opening scenes in the diner, to his obsession with McDonald’s McNugget Mulan Szechuan Sauce, to his absolutely mad, crazy, but hilarious plan to free himself, Rick really helps this episode shine. The fact that he manages to bring down the entire Galactic Federation with just one click of a button is truly, truly hilarious and is a very clever, subtle parody of the economic situation of the world today.

And no review of this episode would be complete without mentioning that final speech by Rick to Morty. Jesus Christ. From the Galactic Federation, to Morty’s dad Jerry, to him taking over the family, to his season arc being “finding some more of that Mulan Szechuan Teriyaki Dipping Sauce”, even if it takes 97 years. This season of Rick and Morty is shaping up to be the best yet.